RALPH Hasenhuttl praised the reaction of captain James Ward-Prowse during the club’s difficult run of results, stating: “This is how a captain should be.” The midfielder took the armband from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in June of last year, initially on a temporary basis until the end of the prolonged 2019-20 campaign. Asked how Ward-Prowse has responded to the first difficult spell in his role as captain,
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “He reacts how I expect a captain to react. This is not so much off the pitch, much more on the pitch because that is where you win games, not off the pitch. You have to walk out there and always be the role model of what we are standing for. When you see him running and him fighting for everything in every game then this is what a captain should do. Not speaking in the dressing room or telling people how it works, but showing it on the pitch how it works. For me, this is how a captain should be.”
Ward-Prowse is currently on a remarkable run of not missing games for Saints. The 26-year-old has started every match across all competitions for the club so far this term, a feat he also achieved last season. Discussing Ward-Prowse’s remarkable run of starts for Saints,
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “Knock on wood it stays like this! Because he’s absolutely the fittest player we have in our team. This is one of his biggest strengths. It doesn’t mean that he has not sometimes problems here or there. This is also there. But he lives very professional, he works very professional, he eats quite professional and I think this complete package leads you to playing every minute so far.”
